h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

First off I'll correct one item in the previous post. Burning Man always ends on Labor Day (USA) which is the first Monday of September at begins one week before.

After my experiences at Burning Man 2000, I've devised a simple test to check if you should go to Burning Man or not.

A friend tells you there is a really cool party a few hours away, and that you will love everyone there. You arrive at someone's house and there are a lot of people there drinking. As soon as you arrive you realize that you don't know anyone else there and your friend has vanished. As you don't have your own car here, you can't leave until you find your friend.

Two hours pass. Are you:

a) wondering where your friend went
b) dancing by yourself on the sparsly populated dance floor
c) having a great time with all the people you met
d) helping out the host in the kitchen and having fun

If you said "it depends" or (a) then stay home. Regardless of the size of the group you arrive with, they will desert you to look at shiny things in opposite directions.

If you said (b) you'll enjoy the night life. Just remember to dress in layers so that as you get sweaty on the dance floor then freeze as you take a break you can adjust.

If you said (c) you'll also enjoy the daytime.

If you said (d) you should volunteer at their website months before the event.

im only 16 but, i would really like to go. Is there any company thats does a package holiday (flights-travel etc) then u go to the festival have blast then get on a plane home?

There are 2 ways to answer that question. The first answer is if you need that level of hand holding, you shouldn't go.

The second answer is, no - there is no commercial plan that will cover you soup to nuts.

Some groups (of individuals not companies) put together some buses last year. I don't know how far you are going, but you may be able to catch a lift with someone.

I strongly don't recommend doing this, but if you are really dying to go, buy a ticket via ticketmaster and a round-trip airplane ticket to Reno. From the Reno airport you can either hitchhike (it's to far to walk) or if you plan ahead, you can get a ride from some complete stranger (who may or may not be a psychotic killer) via one of the Burning Man mailing lists.

Now, you need to figure out where you are sleeping in the freezing weather (during BM2k it really did get cold enough at night to freeze). Also, you need to figure out where you are getting your supply of food from (you can't buy any onsite nor can you walk to anywhere that sells any).

If you post on one of the BM mailing lists you might meet some complete stranger that will take you shopping in Reno for supplies before heading out to the site.

On Monday as we left there were a number of cold, hungry hitchhikers holding signs for places as far away as NYC (2700 miles away) and begging for food. If this sounds like fun, go for it.

Since your only 16 you are not permitted to attend without your parents or legal guardian. 18 is the minumum age limit.
When you do show up you need "everything" to survive for as long as you intend to stay. No monitary exchanges are allowed. The only thing for sale is Ice and Coffee. "Everything" means food, clothes, water and tent or RV and anything else you may need. None of it is availible at burningman. And neither is facilities to shower or clean your self up. There are porta potties to realve your self.

Hi I`m from germany.
My boyfriend heard about this festival a few days ago, while he was looking tv.
Now he`s obsessed by going there and asked me to find out something about it.
So I wonder if you can`t help me: is it worth? we`re going to spend our holidays in canada next year, so we are not that far away.
When does it take place every year?

thanks a lot
eileen

It always ends on the US's Labor Day - which means that in 2003 it ends on Sept 1, and starts a week before that.

You can tell him to go to http://www.burningman.com for information overload.

As stated above, if you are going to it you will need to purchase food, water, shelter, etc. for yourself BEFORE you arrive there.